1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to supports, and more specifically to arm supports which permit persons with specific conditions to adapt to a common-place environment. The arm supports thereby improve the condition of the persons, and, as a desirable adjunct, improves the conditions of others as well.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the purposes of the present disclosure, impairment will define a deviation from normal, such as not being able to make a muscle move or not being able to control an unwanted movement. Disability will be defined herein as a restriction in the ability to perform a normal activity of daily living which someone of comparable age is able to perform. Handicap will be defined herein as a person who, because of a disability, is unable to achieve a normal role in society commensurate with age and socio-cultural factors. All disabled people are impaired, and all handicapped people are disabled, but a person can be impaired and not necessarily be disabled, and a person can be disabled without being handicapped. With greater degree of impairment, which may lead to associated handicap or disability, comes a separation sometimes associated with unfavorable stereotyping and extra care which is required. This can include relegation to less favorable living or environmental conditions. In addition, there may be undesirable losses in confidence and self-esteem. There is, of course, much more to an individual than the disability, which has led to the promulgation of many laws, including, where appropriate, the inclusion of children with handicaps, disabilities or impairments into regular classrooms. There has, in general, been an increasing awareness and sensitivity, both among the general public and in literature, including addressing issues of education, employment, and public access for disabled individuals. Assistive technology, which may permit an individual to overcome an impairment to either reduce the effects from disabilities to handicaps or to simple impairments continues to be adopted as quickly as it is practically developed. One such example is crutches and leg braces, which permit a person to walk without the confines of a wheelchair. While the individual may still be recognized as having an impairment, the severity of and consequences from the impairment are reduced.
One area of particular application to the present invention is that of tremors, uncontrollable spasms, ataxia and the like. There are many different nervous system and muscular ailments that are known to adversely affect the motor operations of an individual's limbs. Exemplary of these, but not solely limited thereto, are: Angelman Syndrome; Cerebral Palsy; Essential Tremor; Hepatolenticular Degeneration (Wilson's Disease); Miller Fisher Syndrome; Multiple System Atrophy; Parkinson's Disease; Progressive Supranuclear Palsy; Torsion Dystonia; and Tourette Syndrome. Further events that can adversely affect motor operation and induce tremors include exposure to hazardous chemical elements and compounds, including such diverse exposures as mercury or heavy metal poisoning and insecticide or pesticide exposure, and traumas. Many of the ailments are accompanied by either permanent or temporary loss of particular motor skills, and may further be aggravated by muscle tremors or twitches which tend to mask the primary motor functions being expressed by the individual.
There are an estimated 34 million people in the United States with some type of tremor. While many of these are associated with a specific disease, trauma or other initiator, approximately ten million of these cases are only characterized by the tremor itself. While some types of tremors are manageable with medications or surgery, others are not. These tremors can be quite challenging, frustrating and even humiliating for the individual and those either emotionally or professionally close to the individual. Many different commonplace task may be prevented or adversely impacted by the particular symptoms presented by the individual.
Disabilities from tremors encompass, though are not solely limited to, impaired fine motor tasks such holding or manipulating small objects, such as small tools or utensils, writing, drinking from a cup, eating, applying makeup, shaving, or dressing. Similar to the crutches example described herein above, assistive technologies which could allow an individual to diminish or eliminate disabilities or handicaps are very much desired. These assistive technologies are herein referred to as adaptive technologies, since they permit the person to adapt to effectively fulfill the requirements of a task.
A number of artisans have provided various supports, including arm and forearm support. Many of these only provide basic support against gravitational forces, and as a result, these are of no value in the adaption of an individual with tremors or the like. More frequently, these type of supports have found application in such environments as offices and the like, where unnecessary fatigue and such ailments as carpal-tunnel syndrome may be alleviated. Exemplary of the large body of literature are U.S. Pat. No. 794,042 by O'Conner; U.S. Pat. No. 1,277,169 by Anderson; U.S. Pat. No. 1,611,084 by Storey; U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,873 to Terry et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,949 by Axelsson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,393 by Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,977 by Tiedeken; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,004,196 and 5,158,256 by Gross; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,058,840 and 5,201,485 by Moss et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,501 by Holtta; U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,190 by Wilson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,090 by Mandell et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,001 by Bergsten et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,154 by Williamson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,941 by Bodine; U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,737 to Rubin et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,957 by Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,896 by Terbrack; U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,972 by Schmidt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,109 by Nordnes; U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,814 by Gibbs; U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,719 by Bressler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,160 by Bowen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,591 by Zarkhin et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,671 by Bzoch; U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,499 by Wang; U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,840 by Saboia De Albuquerque; U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,362 by Root; U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,976 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,655 by Gutowski; U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,469 by Chen; U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,064 by Hong; U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,771 by Lauzon et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,224 by Nogueira; 2002/0179782 by Smeed; and D438,725 by Takahashi, each which are incorporated herein by reference for their teachings of mechanics and structures.
Adaptive technologies have been developed as well, though in the prior art there have been limitations incorporated into each of these that have tended to limit applications. One type of adaptive technology involves the use of frameworks of relatively significant size and structure. These structures are designed to offer optimum interaction with the musculo-skeletal system of the user, but, owing to their size and complexity, also incur the greatest expenses and public resistance to use. Said another way, the functioning may offer mechanical advantage, but the size and expense are economically as well as aesthetically undesirable. Exemplary of these frameworks are U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,873 to Terry et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,998 by Rosen et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,737 to Rubin et al, the teachings of each which are also incorporated herein by reference.
While not as adaptive for all activities, several additional artisans have offered improved adaptive technologies. Among these are U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,977 by Tiedeken; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,120 by Thomas, each which illustrate smaller forearm supports. The teachings of each of these patents are also incorporated herein by reference. Unfortunately, in the Tiedeken patent rails are used which require movement along specific axes. While the system provides substantial dampening of off-axis motion, the mechanics of the system are such to inhibit most movement in a person with typical tremors. Said another way, a person with tremors is generally unable to maintain motion along a single axis. The Tiedeken system would, with each tremor, tend to freeze motion, thereby inhibiting not only tremor movement but also desired movement. The Thomas arm constraint offers an improved feeding apparatus, but is not well adapted to the motions that many persons with tremors would more desirably execute. Further, the Thomas system is relatively specifically limited to feeding, and is not readily adapted to other activities.